Outlet or junction box.



PATENIIED MAY 8, 19'06.

' 0. 0. SIBLEY & G. A. LUTZ.

OUTLET 0R JUNCTION BOX. APPLIOATION FILED 1330.21, 1905.

I nected by outlet or UNITED STATS s ren ora ion.

CLARENCE C. SIBLEY, 0F PERTH AMBOY, NEW JERSEY, AND GEORGE A.

LUTZ, OF NEW YORK, N.

Specification of Letters Patent.

fatenteq Iilay g, 1906- Application filed December 21,19Q3. Serial Nag-185,980.

N ew Jersey, and GEORGE A. LUTZ, a resident of New York city, borough of Brooklyn, New York, citizens of the United States, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Outlet or Junction Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in junction boxes for use in electrical circuits, and is particularly adapted for use in connection with the class of conduits for electrical conductors shown in United States Patent No. 667,567, issued to E. D. Page on February 5, 1901.

The invention comprises a box orcasing provided with holes for the passage of electrical conductors, channel-like members adapted to aline with such holes and receive the end portions of the conduits in the nature of a bond, and means for securing said members to the box, whereby the conduits may be consaid members to the box, and by preference means are provided for detachably connecting 'said members with the box, so that the number of such members used with a box may correspond to the number of conduits to be connected with the box. Means are also provided for firmly connecting the conduits with such members to prevent relative movement of the parts with respect to each other.

The invention also comprises thenovel details of improvement that will be more fully hereinafter set forth the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanyin drawings, forming'par't hereof, wherein igure 1 is a plan view of an outlet or junction box embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. 'Fig. 3 is aperspeetive view of one of the members for connecting the conduits with the box, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a ortion of a conduit.

imilar numerals of re erence indicate corresponding parts in theseveral'views.

The numeral 1 in the drawings indicates an outlet or junction box which may generally be made in any suitable form and material, bcing shown as circular and rovided with a bottom 2 and anopen end w iich may be closed by a cover in any wellknown man- 'shape of the conduit 'duit, and thus inclose the end of upon the conduit. he

and then pointed out i provided with lugs ner. At l the box 1 is for the passage of electrical conductors or wires, and at 3 is indicated a conduit shown generally of the class illustrated in said Pat ent N 0. 667,567, which comprises a bottom 3 and sides 3", provided with opposed grooved portions 3, receiving a cover 4:

The members or bonds for connecting the box 1 with the conduit 3 aline with the holes 1 of the box and are indicated at 5 and are generally of contour corresponding to the 3, so as to receive the end portion of the latter. To this end the members 5 are shown as having a bottom 5, sides 5', and grooved portions 5, which latter receive the grooved portions 3 of the conthe conduit in the nature of a bond. (See Fig. 2.) The end portion of the conduit may be entered in the member5 to any desired extent, and the cover 4 of the conduit may be pushed into or through the opening l of box 1, Whereby the wires contained in the conduit entering the box may be inclosed on all sides adjacent to the box. j

V The members 5 are shown as detachably connected with bpx 1, are preferably made of metal of'such proportions that the conduit may be placed over the channel of the mem ber and pushed downwardly'into lace, the sides'5 of the member being a apted, to move -la teral ly to permit the'entrance of the conduit and then to s ring back into position shape of the hole 1 is preferably made to correspond to the contour of the member 5, so as to receive the latter snugly, as indicated in Fig. 2. I The members 5 at their inner ends are also shown 6, adapted to be bent sidewise against the inner wall of box 1 at the corresponding edges of the holes 1; to afford a smooth surface against which wires or their insulation may be drawn, so that the latter will not be injured. These in s also serve to assist in keeping the mem ers 5 from being pulled out of the box.

To secure the conduit 3 firmly to the member 5 to'keep them from being pulled apart, we have shown the outer ends ber as provided with -prongs 5 that are adapted to pass through slots 3"v in' the botof said memtom 3 of the conduit and to be bent back in hook-like form, as indicated in Fig. 2. To

apply the conduit to the member 5, the

' bent to suitable chain t.v

be over the inlan ibor with its slot BS in line with thepro-ngis and um pushed to place, so that thofprongs will pass through the slot, and ilienlhe prongs will be bent down to secure the pails 3 and 5 together. One or n'iore prongs 5 in a member may be usod, as dcsircd.

Any suitablc means may be provided for securing thc incinbe' 5 dclachably to the box 1. For this purposc wo have shown the nioiubors 5 as Dl'liYltlLKl with extensions 5, having inwardly-bent lugs or toes adapt cd to cu r slots l in a plate or disk 6, that is reinov: sly hold centrally upon the bottom of box 1 by means of a screw or (he like. As the nicinbi exiond in radial direction, tl'ioir projections 5 will Extend toward the center oi the oox, so that tl plate or disk 6 can ho used for munber of such. members by p rovid in a corrcspomim number oi slots 3 to ioccivo t .io corresponding lugs 5' (See l roni tliis it will be soon. that when held in placo upon tho lugsb i o Q will all be held from i'iutward l inward lI'lO'VQl'nCil S, and by of the momic ren ovcd or attaciicil. by properly manipulating plate a.

The bottom of the box preferably providcd ith radialgroiwos 12, that alinc with the con soonding holes 1, which grooves prcierably oxte3id entirely across the bottom: of the box, intersecting centrally, that whom an "ical conductor or win s to be carried strai ht through the box the conduit 3 can be pushed through the opposed holes 1 in. the be; and can lie in the groove 2. Tho grooves 2 also serve to receive the extensionfi 5" of members 5, whereby said extensions arc sunk into the bottom :2 to a suitable oxtent to about llush with the inner surace of tho botton'i, so as not to present sharp odgcs within the box to be engaged by insulation on wi es,

j'is tho members dotachably connected with box l and as one or more oi such in inbers may bo utilisod at a tiznc, any suitable means inc r )(5: provided for closing the holes 1 that are not in. use. Such means lav consist of o i'notel cap 21;, stamped and i on, adaptod to be pushed through the hoio 1"" to close tho some and to be readily roniovcd when the nicmber f; is to be attached to tho box at such hole.

By means of our invention the conduit 3 can be resdil y connected with an outlctdiox by slipping tho appropriate end of the n1o1nbe? 5 into hole 1 in. the box, bonding back tho lug :5, and securing tho mcinhorin place, and illicit pr; sin" the end oi" the conduit into the ineinbor and oonding hail: the prongs 5, as bcforo described, and alter the wirc is laid in the conduit and passed into the box the cover l can he slid along the conduit to inalic a (mildly or across tho member, and the conduit will a complete closure of the wire. When an additional conduit is to be connected with a box, the plate 6 is merely loosened or removed, the member 5 put in place, andthe plate 6 reapplied. As the sides 5 5 of member 5 closely correspond to the sides ofthe conduit, a tight fit around the adjacent end of the conduit is afforded, and the member 5 thus acts in the nature of a bond to close all joints between the conduit and the box for el ctric contact. Various changes may be made in the details shown and describcd Without departing from the spirit of our invention. For instance, instead of using the plate-6 with the screw 7 to hold several extensions 5" a screw could pass through each extension into the bottom oi the box; but by using the plate a single screw only is required, thus saving screw-holes in the bottom of the box and eliminating parts that niighficaus e abrasion f the insulation on wires.

Having now described ourinvention, what we claim is 1.. inn electrical outlet or junction box pro- 'vided with holes, channel-like moinhors on-,.

tering said holes to embrace the end portions of correspondinglyshaped conduits, means to .dctachably receive conduits in said mom: bars, and means for detachably connecting said members ithsaid box,'said members being provided with prongs bentjnto connection with a conduit to'hold the members and conduits together, substantially as described.

An. electrical outlet or junction box pro vided with holes, channel-like members having a bottom and two sides, open opposite the bottom, and opposed grooved portions onsaid sides, said members entering the holes in the box, and means for connecting said members with said box, said members being provided with prongs bent into connection. with conduit to hold the members and conduits together, substai'itially as described.

3. An outlet or junction box provided with holes, combined with members entering said holes to connect with conduits, said members having extensions passing into the box along its bottom, and means for detachably connecting said extensions with the bottom of the box,substantially as described.

l. An electrical outlet or junction box provided with holes, and members entering said holes and provided with prongs bent into connection with conduits through slots in said conduits to hold the members and conduits together. substantially as described.

5. An electrical outlet or junction box provided with holes, members entering said holes to roccivo conduits, said members haw ing cxtensions piussing into the box along its bottom, a, plate hold on the bottom of the box, and means for detachably connecting said plate with said extensions, substantially as described.

6. An electrical outlet or junction box provided. with holes, members entering said holes and provided with extensions having lugs, a plate rovided. with slots to receive said lugs, and means for holding said plate upon the box, whereby said plate may retain several-0f said members in position, substantially as described.

7 All electrical outlet or junction box having holes and having intersecting grooves in its bottom alined with said holes, combined With members entering said holes to connect With conduits, said members being provided with extensions that are located in said grooves, and means for holding said members upon the box, substantially as described.

8. A bond-like member for holding a conduit to an'outlet or junction box comprising a channel-like piece having a bottom and sides provided With opposed grooves to receive a conduit and provided with lugs adapted to be bent against the inner Wall of a junction-box, substantially as described.

9. T he combination of a box provided with holes, with a bond-like member having a bottom, and sides provided with grooved portions entering said holes, a conduit entermg said member and provided with a slot, said member having a prong passing through said slot, and means for attaching said. member to the box, substantially as described.

10. A bond-like member for holding a conduit to an outlet or junction box comprising a channel-like piece having a bottom, and sides provided with grooved portions, said. member being provided with an extension adapted to be secured to a junction-box, said member also having a prong adapted to be bent into connection with a conduit through a slot in said conduit to hold the member and conduit together, sul'istantially as described. 115A bond for connection witha conduit comprising a channel-like piece having a bot tom and sides provided with grooved portions and a prong adapted to be bent through a slot in a conduit, substantiall described.

Clo/.ililDNblfl C. SEBLEY. GEO. A. LUTZ.

Witnesses:

Geo. W. Biioiv'r, T. Ell ooxnn. 

